The roots of prairie plants sink deep to survive the hot and cold extremes of Illinois weather. Similarly to those of the plants, my own roots are also sinking deep into the prairie as I make unexpected connections to this grassdominated land. As a young farm girl, I became in tune with the land as I worked long, hard summer days in my fathers soybean fields. As an adult, I now volunteer with land stewards to restore agricultural fields back to prairie grasslands, which become a home for endangered plants and animals. This series of photographic images was inspired as I walked through restored prairie fields in the winter. Although the summer grandeur has faded, there are still many overlooked treasures to discover.